How to Add Timestamps (Chapters) to YouTube Videos: Step by Step
Adding timestamps (timecodes) to your YouTube videos greatly improves the viewer experience, letting people jump straight to the moments they care about. Follow this guide to highlight key segments and automatically break your video into chapters.
Adding Timestamps Manually in YouTube Studio
Step 1: Upload or Edit Your Video
Open YouTube Studio and upload a new video, or click into an existing one to begin editing.
Step 2: Add Timestamps to the Description
On the Video Details page, find the Description field and enter your timestamps along with episode titles. Use a colon to separate hours, minutes, and seconds — for example, 0:00 or 1:23:45.
List timestamps in the order they appear in the video, then save your changes.
Before YouTube activates your chapters, a few requirements must be met:
- The first episode must start at 0:00
- Each episode must be at least 10 seconds long
- You need a minimum of three episodes
Automatic Splitting into Episodes
YouTube can also split your video into chapters automatically. This option is enabled by default for all videos unless you turn it off. Here's how to manage it:
Step 1: Open YouTube Studio
Log in to YouTube Studio and select Content from the left-hand menu.
Step 2: Select a Video
Find the video you want to configure, then click Edit at the top of the page.
Step 3: Enable or Disable Automatic Splitting
In the editing panel, click Automatic split into episodes and toggle it to Enable or Disable.
You can apply this setting to multiple videos at once, which saves a lot of time.
Why Use Timestamps and Automatic Chapters?
Better Viewer Experience
Timecodes let viewers jump directly to what they're looking for, making your content far more satisfying to watch and easier to revisit.
Longer Watch Time
When viewers can quickly find the section they want, they're much more likely to stick around and keep watching — boosting your overall watch time metrics.
Higher Search Visibility
Videos with timecodes and chapters can rank better in both YouTube and Google search results, giving your content more exposure.
If you publish for viewers in other languages, Creator Tools translates your titles, descriptions and subtitles into 140+ languages.
Use timecodes and automatic splitting to make your videos more accessible — and watch your channel grow as a result.
YouTube Timestamps: FAQ
What are timestamps on YouTube?
Timestamps are times such as 0:00 or 1:23:45 written in the video description next to episode titles. YouTube turns them into chapters so viewers can jump to the part they need.
What is the YouTube timestamp format?
Use a colon to separate hours, minutes and seconds, for example 0:00 or 1:23:45, and list the timestamps in the order they appear in the video.
Why are my YouTube timestamps not turning into chapters?
Check the requirements: the first episode must start at 0:00, each episode must be at least 10 seconds long, and you need at least three episodes.
